Friday, October 25, 2013

Bike Therapy

Last week I got my ass kicked by the latest strain of flu bug. Luckily, I'm married to the boss man, so it didn't take much to convince him that I needed to go home when the body aches and chills started to set in. Straight to the couch in my jammies and robe, I waited for him to get done with work as my fever climbed.

By the time he got home, I was frozen solid, curled up in my comforter on the couch with the puppy and a strong fever of 101. Food made me nauseous, so I survived the next couple days and a fever that maxed out at 102.4 by sipping ginger ale and sleeping with a copious hours of the day. In an effort to keep my hubby healthy, I slept on the couch so not to breathe my germs on him all night... but something in that quarantine was just so lonely.

I felt like hell.. and all I wanted was to be held.. Yeah, I'm a baby when I'm sick, so what! But I didn't want my hubby sick, and neither did he, so the puppy had to play the part of nurse & cuddler. But somewhere in the lack of food, isolation, and body aches, I just got depressed. Although the fever broke after 2 days, I was still weak and fatigued by my flu-hangover and lack of nutrition.

The cold air set in my bones when I went outside, and all I wanted to do was get back into bed. With Green Acres CX taking up the weekend, I tried with all my might to rest and eat and get back on the bike, but I battled between motivation and healing constantly, going back and forth with myself on whether or not I was ready to ride.

Mother Nature decided for me, keeping the races cold and rainy. So I stayed bundled up and had to watch it all from the sidelines. Lucky for me, though, I had a few Girl Fiends to cheer on and help lighten my glum mood. It was awesome cheering for Dana & Sarah as they took on the mud and the rain! And Morgan came out just to cheer and drink beer which is always great for good belly laughs and silliness.... though I'm always leery the next morning about what I may have agreed to do...hmmm.

Finally this Monday, I got back on my bike. It was only for a 2 mile jaunt to work and I was probably wearing more layers than I needed, but it felt fabulous! My mind wandered about as I pedaled down the bike path and the fall colors were stunning. It was so awesome, I did it again on Tuesday and joyfully, with all the same side effects.

Jay and Chucker took me out on mtn bikes last night to get in a longer and little more interesting ride. We started by Lake Calhoun and hit up some barely traveled singletrack all the way to the new Theo Wirth flow trails. There were some wrong turns, a creepy "Blair Witch" moment, some nefarious goings-on by nude men in the woods, but most of all it was lots and lots of singletrack on a beautiful fall night. It was quiet and beautiful as we stopped at the top of one of the trails and enjoyed how pretty Minneapolis looks at night.

With happy legs beneath us, we returned to the lake to fill our bellies with some tasty Burger Jones treats. Bikes, laughter, high-fives, and friends... it was a perfect night. And it was a great week of coming back from darkness...

Sometimes it's can get heavy under the load of bills, family hardships, car troubles, whatever... then knock yourself out with illness and loneliness... it's not something I like to write about. But in the end, its my puppy, Jay, my friends and loved ones and my lil 2-wheeled contraption that makes it all go away. And I'm grateful for every last one of 'em! You know who you are - I love you!

Some of my favorite quotes

"I'd get pregnant for $400 million" - my dad........ "A party isn't a party until Geno drinks a butt" - Hollywood.........a sub 12 yr. old kid was asked how he felt after finishing a 25mi. road race - his answer was "Like John Lennon going through heroine withdrawls" - was Lennon hooked on the H? ........ "My hair smells like beer. You can suck on it later." - Leslie, on top of Brits Pub......"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy" - Benjamin Franklin